I like cola : but I realized the worse part of it was the HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup). I can change that so my 1 soda a day habit won't inhibit my weight loss efforts.

HFCS is in everything and buying products without it may be cost prohibative. I am just going to have to make my own jelly for PB&J sandwiches or get my kids to like whole fruit spreads. It is hard to find anything that doesn't have HFCS and I am a firm believer that HFCS is causing obesity, diabetes, etc.

We make Limonade, which is carbonated water with fresh lemon juice and simple syrup (equal part heated sugar and water). It is nice because it tastes so refreshing and you can control the amount of sugar. I have tried with lime and orange and they are good, too. I also make Italien sodas with carbonated water and flavored sugar syrup (like the ones at the coffee shop- Monin or Dulce) and then add a bit of half and half...Yum.

I agree about the obesity and corn syrup. I am not able to eat it because of an allergy and I have had problems with being underweight in the past because it elimated all of the really junkie food from my diet.

Check your local farmers market for jam. Homemade versions taste so much better, but if you are shopping in conventional grocery store, Polena (sp?) makes a fruit juice sweetened version. Cascadian Farm has a nice selection of organic sugar sweetened jams, too.

It says you can use either water kefir grains or kefir paowder...either 3/4 C of grains or 1 packet of powder for 2 quarts of soda w/the ingredients above. Use glass containers for storage, cover tightly and leave at room temp for 48 hours then strain liquid thru a non-metallic strainer. Store in the original glass container. There is a warning to NOT store soda in decorative vinegar bottles that have wired-held stoppers b/c they have a tendency to explode. YIKES! HTH!

Check your local farmers market for jam. Homemade versions taste so much better, but if you are shopping in conventional grocery store, Polena (sp?) makes a fruit juice sweetened version. Cascadian Farm has a nice selection of organic sugar sweetened jams, too.

It's Polaner -- they make the "All Fruit" jams. Our local grocery has a store brand of it, too.

I have to offer a respectful caveat about the farmers' market jams, though -- we have bought jam from our market, from the little family-farm stands, thinking it was homemade and wholesome. Not so. When we got the jam home and looked at the label closely, not only was it made with HFCS and other additives, but it was also not made by that farm, or by any small business. It was made by a big company and just labeled to look "homemade" and then distributed by smaller farms/companies : So the lesson is, always read the labels, no matter where you're buying from, and don't get sucked into the small-farm/small-business/homemade = wholesome/all natural trap, like we did.

Here is a link with a description and instructions on how to make Lacto-fermented Soda. Very interesting.
If anyone tries it, let me know how it turns out. And if I try it (and I might :LOL ), I'll post the results

My assumption would be "lacto-fermented" involves milk especially coming from Weston A. Price, but it is the standard fermentation method, extremely similar to my sour dough starter (water having had dried fruit sit in it then grains all in a big huge gallon jar sitting in the back of my frig).

I was hoping it was something to do with milk since we get 1 gallon a week from a farm and I don't usually use it all, it sours and then I'm figuring out what to make with it.